Spinning reel for fishing with drag mechanism and drag indicator

Abstract

A drag mechanism for a spinning reel, in which a depressing member non-rotatably mounted on a front portion of a spool shaft and allowed to be moved in an axial direction relative thereto, is urged by a coiled spring against braking plates provided in a spool, and a drag force adjusting member rotatably mounted on the depressing member and prevented from falling off therefrom, is threadingly engaged with the spool shaft. Scales are provided on a surface of the depressing member facing the adjusting member, and a window hole through which the scales can be seen is provided on the adjusting member, thereby indicating the magnitude of the drag force set by rotating the adjusting member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A drag mechanism for a spinning reel, comprising: a spool shaft;   a spool rotatably mounted onto said spool shaft;   a pressing member non-rotatably fitted onto a front portion of the spool shaft and movable in an axial direction relative to the spool shaft, said pressing member having a first side and a second side opposite to said first side;   a braking member provided on said spool, said braking member is depressed against said spool by said first side of said pressing member;   a drag force adjusting member relatively rotatably supported on said second side of said pressing member and prevented from separating therefrom, said drag force adjusting member being threadingly engaged with said spool shaft; and   indication means for indicating an amount of rotation of said drag force adjusting member relative to said pressing member, said indication means is at least partially located at an interface of said second side with said drag force adjusting member and includes transparent material through which said indication means is viewed.   
     
     
       2. The drag mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said indication means includes scales provided on said second side and a indication portion provided on said drag force adjusting member for indicating at least one of said scales in accordance with said amount of rotation. 
     
     
       3. The drag mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said indication means includes a marker provided on said second side of said depressing member, said drag force adjusting member facing said marker during rotation of said drag force adjusting member, and scales provided on said drag force adjusting member to indicate said amount of rotation by utilizing said marker through said drag force adjusting member. 
     
     
       4. The drag mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising: spring means for urging said depressing member in an axial direction of said spool shaft toward said braking member.   
     
     
       5. The drag mechanism according to claim 4, wherein said spring means includes a coiled spring interposed between said depressing member and said drag force adjusting member. 
     
     
       6. The drag mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising: coupling means for preventing said drag force adjusting member and said pressing member from relatively separating, said coupling means independently maintains said drag force adjusting member and said pressing member as a unit.   
     
     
       7. A drag mechanism for a spinning reel, comprising: a spool shaft;   a spool rotatably mounted onto said spool shaft;   braking means comprising brake plates mounted on said spool shaft for braking the rotation of said spool with respect to said spool shaft, said braking means being partially received in said spool;   depressing means non-rotatably mounted on said spool shaft for urging said brake plate along said spool shaft and against said spool, said depressing means comprising a pressure member for contacting said brake plates, said pressure plate being partially received in said spool;   braking force adjusting means for controlling the braking of said brake plates against said spool, said adjusting means comprising a control knob which is threadingly engaged with an end of said spool shaft and rotatable relative to said pressure member;   means for coupling said pressure member to said control knob so as to allow mutual rotation therebetween, said coupling means independently maintains said control knob and said pressure member as a unit;   scales formed on a portion of said pressure member facing said control knob; and   a window hole formed on and passing through said control knob, through which at least one of said scales can be seen.   
     
     
       8. The drag mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said coupling means includes screws secured to said control knob, said screw having head portions for supporting said pressure member. 
     
     
       9. The drag mechanism according to claim 7, further comprising: a transparent plate attached onto said control knob to cover said window hole.   
     
     
       10. The drag mechanism according to claim 7, further comprising: engagement means for preventing free rotation between said pressure member and said control knob.   
     
     
       11. The drag mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said braking means comprises a plurality of braking plates fittingly inserted into a recess provided in said spool. 
     
     
       12. The drag mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said braking plates comprises first plates engaged with said spool and second plates engaged with said spool shaft.